1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a safety system, intended to be fitted to a mechanism comprising one or more members over which it is important to maintain control in all circumstances, in particular for safety reasons. In an advantageous application, the system according to the invention is used to brake the winding drum of a winch or similar mechanism, in the event of a failure in this winch, in particular a failure of the members for driving the drum.
2. Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 4,625,946 describe safety systems for hoisting machinery, comprising a toothed wheel connected rotationally to the rotating member to be braked, and a worm driven rotationally by a motor and permanently in mesh with the toothed wheel.
The worm drive motor allows the safety system to follow the movement of the rotating member to which the toothed wheel is connected. In the event of a failure, this toothed wheel drives the worm, thereby generating friction between its teeth and the thread of this worm, which locks up the toothed wheel to prevent dropping of the load. The present invention relates to a safety system, intended to be fitted to a mechanism comprising one or more members over which it is important to maintain control in all circumstances, in particular for safety reasons. In an advantageous application, the system according to the invention is used to brake the winding drum of a winch or similar mechanism, in the event of a failure in this winch, in particular a failure of the members for driving the drum.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,625,946 describe safety systems for hoisting machinery, comprising a toothed wheel connected rotationally to the rotating member to be braked, and a worm driven rotationally by a motor and permanently in mesh with the toothed wheel.
The worm drive motor allows the safety system to follow the movement of the rotating member to which the toothed wheel is connected. In the event of a failure, this toothed wheel drives the worm, thereby generating friction between its teeth and the thread of this worm, which locks up the toothed wheel to prevent dropping of the load.
It turns out that a failure of the safety system is possibly to be feared in certain situations. In fact, depending on the speeds and inertia of the load and the rotating members(s) to brake, the braking stress is sudden and intense.